The Dickinson press., 1887-08-20
HORRORS CLIMAX.
The Most Disastrous Railroad Acci-
dent in the History Of
the Country.
One Hundred and Eighteen Killed
and Four Times That Mum.
Der Wounded.

IOIy VI lHlS country Mcle SulpdSSeu
three miles east of C%hatsworth, ILL.,,
on the night of Thursday, 18th inst,
when an excursion train on the Toll
edo, Peoria & Western road dropped
through Il burning bridge, and over
100 people were killed and four times
that number more or less injured.
The train was composed of six sleep
ing cars, six day coaches and chair
cars and three baggage cars. 1t WAS
carrying nine hundred and sixty pass
engers, all eXcursionists, and was
bound for niagara Falls. The train
had been made up all along the line
of the Toledo, Peoria & Western road
and the eXcurSioniStS hailed from
various points in central Illinois, the
bulk of them. however. coming from
Peoria. The train WAS 50 heavy that
two engines were attached to it.
Three miles east of CllatSworth is Il
little slough where the railroad
crosses q run about ten feet deep and
fifteen feet wide. Over this was
stretched an ordinary wooden trcstle
bridge and us the excursion train
came laundering down on it what
was the horror of the engineer on the
front engine when he saw that the
bridge was on fire. There was no
l nhnn.n a, ttn,> ,.Ntt0,C 1,,.n {,l.n,,
half Il mile to stop. The first engine
passed over in safety. AS it went
over the bridge fell beneath it and it
could only have been the terrific
speed of the train which saved the
lives of the engineer and his fireman.
The next engine went down and car
crashed into car, coaches piled one on
top of another and in the twinkling
of an eye nearly loo people found in.
slant death and fifty more were so
hurt that they could not live. AS for
the wounded. they We're everywhere.
Only the sleeping coaches escaped,
and us the startled and half dead pas
scngerS came tumbling out of them
they found such Il scene of death as
is rarely witnessed. 1t lacked but
five minutes of midnight. Instantly
the air was filled with cries of the
wounded and shriekS of the dying.
There was another terrible danger
ahead yet to he met. The bridge
was still burning and the wrecked
cars were lying OH and around the
tierccly burning timhers. After II
long, desperate fight with the flames,
using earth and what little water
could be obtained. the surviving pas
sengers succeeded in qucnching the
fire. No sooner had the wreck oc-
cured than a scene of robbery COM
menced. Some band of unSpeakahle
miscreants was ON hand to plumber
the dead and take even the shoes
which covered their feet. Who these
wretchcs were is not known. Whetll-
or they were Il band of pickpOckctS
who accompanied the train or some
robber gang who were lurking in the
vicinity cannot he said. \. horrible
suspicion exists and there are many
who give it rredence that the acci-
dent was Il deliberately planned case
of train wrecking; that the bridge
was set on fire by miscreants to seize
the opportunity which offered.
When the dead bodies were laid out
i'm the corn field these hyrnas turned
them over in their search for valna-
blcs. That the plumber was done by
an organized gang. WAS proven by the
fact that sixteen purses. all empty,
were found in one heap i'll IL corniicll.
Red cedar fence posts, dry ash and
cedar wood for sale by McGillivray.
Rev. johnson will hold services ut
the Baptist church tomorrow ut
$50 p. III.
Alf Whites new barn is completed.
1t is the largest and hest barn in this
section of country.
A. valuable horse. belonging to
Treasurer Farrall. was killed by light.
ming Thursday night.
4. :. Robson has received the sad
intelligence of the death of his father
on August Sth. ut C%urryvillc. Mo.
, Dad Slatchcr has IL complete stock
? of iirst-class tin ware at bottom
prices for cash. 1t will pay You tC
l buy of him.
The addition to Clock & Lanydon'
. business room is being pushed to
| completion by l.. y. Davis and b. y,
E Lawrence.
] \ social for the benefit of the Epis,
: copal church will he held at the resi-
dellce of Mrs. G.. ID. IIamscoln. Wed
] ncsday evening. August 9th. Al
] are cordially invited.
! The trial of Patrick Cuskclly fol
%malfcasance in office came off al
Mandan last Tuesday and resulted il
@ a verdict of acquittal. the territory
utterly failing to make Il case.
Mrs. and Miss Cole. mother and sis
d ter Of Mrs. Geo. Aud. after spendin.
I several weeks visiting, returned to
their home in Brooklyn. n. y. Tues
d day. They We're well pleased will
. this climate.
Archie Dingman and Phil. Cylhers
both frst-class locomotive engineers
were out luLtin. the other day ant
1t is said that Mr.. bingham PROVED
himself to he IL crack shot and sure o